By RICK GANO
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO(AP) -- Ben Gordon shrugged off the boos that poured down
from the stands every time he touched the ball. He expected them
on his return to the United Center after leaving the Chicago
Bulls and signing with the Detroit Pistons.

"It is what it is. It's not like I won the championship while I
was here or anything," Gordon said Wednesday night after his
former team, the Bulls, beat the Pistons 92-85.

"I just had a couple of good years, so I wasn't surprised at
all. ... I expected that, seeing past players come back after
going to another team."

Gordon actually had more than a couple of good years with the
Bulls. During his career in Chicago, he was voted the NBA's top
sixth man and led the Bulls in scoring his last four seasons.
Then he signed a five-year, $55 million deal with the Pistons.

"I have already moved forward. This was just another game for
me. It really wasn't that big of a deal," Gordon said. "I moved
on a long time ago. I have no bitter feelings toward the Bulls.
I did what I had to do. It's just part of business."

John Salmons scored 22 points and Derrick Rose added 19 as the
Bulls ended a five-game losing streak. After the game, several
of Gordon's former teammates went up to him and offered a hug or
a handshake.

Gordon scored 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting and picked up five
fouls.

"Ben can make shots and we know his game. We just got to make it
tough for him," Chicago's Luol Deng said.

"Better to play with him than against him, I can tell you that,"
said Salmons. "I chased him around all game. Tough guard. Man,
he's a good player."

The Bulls used an 11-0 third-quarter run to pull out to a
comfortable lead and get a victory in their first home game
since a 1-5 trip, mostly to the West Coast.

Gordon entered the game with 6:24 left in the first quarter to a
mixed greeting that was mostly boos. And when he went to the
line less than 2 minutes later, the boos grew louder before
turning to cheers when he missed the free throw. The boos
continued most of the night.

Gordon, who missed the Pistons' previous two games with a
sprained left ankle, finished the half with five points and
three fouls.

"I wasn't 100 percent, but I figured I'd go out there and make a
sacrifice for the team and try to get us a win. ... We had a lot
of guys out," Gordon said.

"When he has the ball and shoots, you always think it's going
in," Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro said. "You could tell he was
hobbling a little with the ankle. ... He's moved on and we moved
on. Ben did a lot of good things here."

The Pistons clipped a 10-point halftime deficit to three in the
third quarter before the Bulls took off. Rose drove through the
lane for a hoop, Joakim Noah hit a short jumper, Salmons
connected on a 3-pointer before taking a nice pass from Rose for
a layup and Brad Miller followed in a shot during the 11-0 run
that put the Bulls up 63-49. They led by 17 after three
quarters.

Detroit scrapped in the final quarter and whittled the lead to
five with 16 seconds left on Gordon's two free throws before
Miller hit a pair from the line to ice it.

The Bulls jumped out to a 23-6 lead against the cold-shooting
Pistons and led 24-10 at the end of the first quarter. Detroit,
missing injured stars Richard Hamilton (ankle), Tayshaun Prince
(back) and Charlie Villanueva (broken nose), shot 5 of 20 in the
opening period.

Chicago led 48-38 at the half behind 13 points from Salmons and
50 percent shooting.

NOTES: Noah had 14 rebounds. Miller chipped in 16 points ... The
Pistons have lost eight of nine. ... Chicago's Kirk Hinrich sat
out his third straight game with a sprained thumb.